Vincent--if that is so, I don't see why my own
concentration of thought, or hypnotic sleep or trance or whatever it
was--might not have been so intense as to--"
"I quite see," interrupted the other. "That is, of course, conceivable
from your point of view. It had occurred to me that you might think
that.... Then I take it that your theory is that the subconscious self
is sufficient to account for it all--that in this hypnotic sleep, if
you care to call it so, you simply uttered what was in your heart, and
identified yourself with ... with your memory of that young girl."
"I suppose so," said Laurie shortly.
"And the rapping, loud, continuous, unmistakable?"
"That doesn't seem to me important. I did not actually hear it, you
know."
"Then what you need is some unmistakable sign?"
"Yes ... but I see perfectly that this is impossible. Whatever I said
in my sleep, either I can't identify it as true, in which case it is
worthless as evidence, or I can identify it, because I already know
it, and in that case it is worthless again."
The medium smiled, half closing his eyes.
"You must think us very childish, Mr. Baxter," he said.
He sat up a little in his chair; then, putting his hand into his
breast pocket, drew out a note-book, holding it still closed on his
knee.
Pages:
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127